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[535]
from him two divisions of the 10th and one of the 18th corps, under command of W. F. Smith, with which to give Lee a surprise.
The orders had been given on May 22, the troops to be brought by water down the James and up the York.
On May 30, the transports bearing them began to arrive at the White House, and to disembark about 16,000 infantry, whose coming was not known to Lee. But he, having the reenforcements which joined him at Hanover Junction, about 9000, and receiving now Hoke's division, which had come over from Drury's Bluff, about 6000, and being disappointed at Grant's failure to attack his lines on the Totopotomoy, had himself planned a grand stroke for June 1.

The cavalry of the two armies had been heavily engaged for two days near Cold Harbor, and Hoke's division was in that neighborhood.
Lee proposed to extend Longstreet's corps to join it, and, attacking early, to sweep to his left behind Grant's lines, taking them in flank, while Hill and Ewell pressed them in front.
He did not even yet suspect the presence of Smith's troops, and it was with high hopes of a great victory on the 1st that Longstreet's corps, under Anderson, with all its artillery, marched to the vicinity of Cold Harbor, during the night of May 31.

Grant had, meanwhile, determined to send two corps to seize Cold Harbor on the 1st.
Torbert, the evening before, with his dismounted troopers and magazine carbines, had repulsed a severe attack by Fitz-Lee, but, anticipating attack by Hoke's infantry in the morning, he had begun to withdraw during the night.
He received orders, however, to hold the position at all hazards, on which he returned, and devoted the night to intrenching his position.
The 6th corps, from the extreme Federal right, was put in motion that night for Cold Harbor, having about 15 miles to go. Smith, with 10,000 men and 16 guns, already on the march from White House to join Grant, had also been ordered during the night to Cold Harbor.
A mistake in the order took him first to New Castle Ferry on the Pamunkey, and it was only at 4 P. M. of the 1st that he joined at Cold Harbor the 6th corps, the head of which had reached the ground about 10 A. M. after a fatiguing all-night march.
It is plain, then,

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